


illusions and cheap tricks (aka the title of quentin beck's autobiography)

by paperback92



Series: Iron Dad Bingo [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood, Body Horror, Female Peter Parker, Gen, Gun Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Iron Dad, Not Really Character Death, Not Spider-Man: Far From Home Compliant, most of the above are illusions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 12:42:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19464226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperback92/pseuds/paperback92
Summary: Spider-Woman had the weirdest villains ever.As far as Penny Parker knew, she was the only superhero whose villains insisted on dressing up as rhinos, octopuses, or wore fish bowls as helmets.It’s the latter that’s breaking in Stark Tower, trying to steal Mr. Stark’s tech for some yet to be known nefarious scheme.AU: Genderbent





	illusions and cheap tricks (aka the title of quentin beck's autobiography)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [will you catch me (if i should fall)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15993209) by [Bean_reads_fanfic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bean_reads_fanfic/pseuds/Bean_reads_fanfic). 



> Hello all! 
> 
> I won't be able to see Far From Home until next week. (boo hiss) So I don't know how Mysterio is portrayed in the movie. 
> 
> I got inspiration for this story's Mysterio from Bean_Reads_fanfic's will you catch me (if i should fall). It's a wonderful story and if you haven't read it, I definitely recommend it. It's not completed yet but it's already one of my favorites!
> 
> Her take is Mysterio is very unique. I don't think I've seen it anywhere else. The way he treats Peter as an unconsenting pseudo little brother figure is creepy and interesting.
> 
> I wanted to take that concept and use it with a female Peter Parker and, wouldn't you know it, genderbent is one of my Iron Dad Bingo squares. 
> 
> So thanks to Bean_Reads_fanfic for her blessing and just being her in general! 
> 
> Enjoy!

Spider-Woman had the weirdest bad guys ever. 

Maybe it was the universe’s way of punishing her for the spider theme. Even though she was fairly sure that arachnids didn’t fall under the furry umbrella, maybe the cosmic beings in charge didn’t know or didn’t care. Because, as far as Penny Parker knew, she was the only superhero whose villains insisted on dressing up as rhinos, octopuses, or wore fish bowls as helmets. 

It’s the latter that’s breaking in Stark Tower, trying to steal Mr. Stark’s tech for some yet to be known nefarious scheme. 

Mysterio was fairly new to the villain scene, but he was already a bigger pain in Penny’s butt than her more established baddies. His shtick was illusions and, if her sources on the streets were correct, he’d taken up hypnotism. 

As she scales up the side of Stark Tower, Penny really hopes that they’re wrong. She struggles with his illusions all ready as it is. Somehow, it messes with her spider senses. She’d hate to see what hypnotism would do to it. 

He’s dangerous, and she needs to warn Mr. Stark. It’s urgent, so he doesn’t pick up his phone. She nearly bashes her head against the building as Karen unhelpfully intones, _Mr. Stark is unavailable._

She tries Happy, but it goes straight to voicemail too. She doesn’t even try to smother her growl of frustration. 

“Happy, Mysterio is in the tower and I doubt he just wants a tour. I’m going in after him. Please tell Mr. Stark because he’s not picking up his phone either!” She ends up yelling that last part but not finding that she cares too much. That’s a problem for future Penny. 

“I guess we’re on our own for this one, Karen.” She grumbles. “Can you tell where Mysterio’s at?” 

_I’m picking up a heat signature in Mr. Stark’s personal lab. It’s not Mr. Stark though. It’s likely Mysterio._

__“Thanks, Kar.” She’s only two floors from the lab, but when she gets there her usual window won’t budge. That’s weird. Mr. Stark always leaves it unlocked for her._ _

__“Uh, what the heck?”_ _

_FRIDAY says that you first need to be authorized._

__

__“Authorized?” Penny echoes, confused. “Mr. Stark authorized me, like, a year ago.”_ _

__The words barely leave her mouth when the window pops open. Cautiously, Penny crawls through the open window and sticks to the wall. The lab is dark. The only light on is the above Mr. Stark’s work table_ _

__There, sitting in Mr. Stark’s rolling chair with his feet propped up like he owns the place, is Msyterio. He has several hologram screens, and a keyboard pulled up and he’s typing. His helmet is nowhere to be seen._ _

__The sight of his bare face takes Penny by surprise. He’s younger than what she thought. He’s definitely younger than her other baddies, only in his early thirties looks like. He’s handsome, with a head full of slicked back dark hair and a full beard. His round blue eyes are surprisingly friendly as they track her movements down the wall, dropping in front of the desk._ _

__“Hey, Spider-Woman.” He greets warmly as she straightens up. He’s got perfect white teeth. “I was starting to think you wouldn’t show. Was afraid you’d outsource me to your buddy Iron Man.”_ _

__“He’s currently unavilable, so you’re stuck with me. Sorry.”_ _

__“Oh, no!” He gestures like he’s waving away an offense. “I prefer you actually!”_ _

__“What are you up to, Mysterio?” She demands in her super serious superhero voice. She watches, curious, as he swings his feet off the table and pulls up another hologram._ _

__“Just taking back what’s mine.” He says casually. “Stark’s databases are pretty easy to hack if you know what you’re looking for. Even his fancy AI.”_ _

__Well, then. That explains why she couldn’t get through the window like normal._ _

__He starts typing again._ _

__“You don’t have to call me that, by the way: Mysterio.” He clarifies. “Only my enemies call me that. My name is Quentin. Quentin Beck. I feel like we should be on a first name basis by now.”_ _

__Penny’s spidey sense prickles at the back of her neck, making its first appearance since she entered the tower._ _

__“Oh yeah? ‘Cause I got a concussion from you just last week. Friends don’t give friend's head injuries.”_ _

__Beck chuckles. “Sorry about that. It was just a test. I had to make sure we were combatable.”_ _

__Her spidey sense picks up into a steady hum._ _

__“You know,” He moves on, jumping to another topic. “Stark keeps a lot of confidential stuff just lying around here. Like a lot of personal information on personnel. Even his intern.”_ _

__Beck flips a screen around and Penny stares at her own face. It’s on older picture, the one she took when Mr. Stark made her cover story an actual internship. She looks a little older now. Her hair is shorter than it was then. But it’s unmistakably her._ _

__Mr. Stark once told her she was an open book. That her body language gave away her every thought._ _

__She’s hyper aware of that now as Beck stares her down. He’s looking at her like he can see right through her mask. She feels like every breath gives her  
away. Her spidey sense is howling. _ _

__“Penny,” Beck says, and her heart threatens to beat right out of her rib cage. “I feel like we know each other pretty well at this point. You have nothing to hide. You can trust me.” He gestures at his own smiling face. “I showed you mine.”_ _

__“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She can’t believe how steady her voice is. “I’ve met Penny Parker before. She’s just Stark’s intern.”_ _

__Beck sighs like she’s disappointed him. He brings up another screen. It’s an email addressed to the Daily Bugle. The subject line reads: _Spider-Woman’s Real Identity_ and there’s a file attached to it. _ _

__“I don’t like blackmail, Penny.” He patronizes, like he’s disciplining a small child. “But I’m not above it.”_ _

__Penny quickly runs through her options. None of them are good. It doesn’t seem like Happy and Mr. Stark aren’t coming to help. She’s on her own._ _

__Slowly, reluctantly, she reaches up and pulls off her mask._ _

__Beck gives a little pleased gasp once he sees her face. “There you are!”_ _

__Penny feels sick. She hates the way he’s staring at her. Like he’s proud of her. Like he hasn’t just blackmailed her into giving up her most precious resource: her identity._ _

__“Wow,” He breathes. “You’re a baby, aren’t you? I mean, I pegged you as young but it’s still weird seeing.” He leans forward enough to set his elbow on the table and props his chin in his hand. “I always wanted a little sister. I’m so excited!”_ _

__It’s one of the most bizarre things anyone, but especially a bad guy, has ever said to her and Penny jerks back in surprise. Beck frowns at her reaction. Those clear eyes study her._ _

__“What’s wrong, baby girl?” He asks. “I thought we had a connection. No? Really?” He presses when she says nothing. “You never felt it? The whole big brother, little sister thing we had going? The banter?”_ _

__Penny stays silent._ _

__“Huh, oh well.” He shrugs, seemingly unbothered._ _

__Penny blinks. She feels like she’s having a stroke. They haven’t exchanged any physical blows yet, but she already feels like she’s lost this fight. She’s never dealt with anything like this before and she’s so in over her head she feels like she’s drowning in it._ _

__Beck keeps talking._ _

__“That’s why I felt bad putting you though the ringer like that, but I needed to make sure that’d we’d work well together. Make sure we were compatible.”_ _

__“Wait,” Penny comes to her senses long enough to interrupt him. “You’ve been robbing banks and tech stores for two months straight, to what? Get my attention? To test me?”_ _

__“No.” Beck scoffs like she’s the crazy one. “But that was a nice unexpected extra.”_ _

__Penny really and truly feels like she’s fallen down the rabbit hole. Most of their conversations up to the point has mostly been comprised of bad puns from her end. Now, she finds that this whole time this grade A creep has been what? Scoping her out as adoptive sister material?_ _

__Why, oh why, does Spider-Woman get all the weirdos?_ _

__“What’s high school like nowadays?” Beck chit chats, already moved onto another subject, typing away. “Hellish, I’m sure.”_ _

__“What are you doing?” Penny demands as forcefully as she can manage, still trying to collect herself. It doesn’t faze him though._ _

__“Like I said, taking back what’s mine.”_ _

__“Nothing here belongs to you.”_ _

__“Not true.” He says, lightly. “Lots of things here are really mine. Did you know I used to work for Stark? I made him a lot of really cool tech, like groundbreaking stuff, but he fired me. Said I was ‘unstable’.”_ _

__His sarcastic use of air quotes really gets her. It’s the first time in this whole twisted conversation that she’s wanted to laugh._ _

__“I can’t imagine why they’d think that.” She drawls. She’s starting to get her wit back about her and she embraces it. “Besides dude, if you made that stuff for SI then legally it’s theirs’s. You’re just stealing now.”_ _

__Beck sharply looks up at her. His eyes are cold and her spidey sense sends a shiver down her spine. But the look passes as quickly as it appeared. He shakes his head and shoots her a patronizing smile._ _

__“Nah. You only think that because you’ve been brainwashed by Stark.”_ _

__“I haven’t.” She protests but Beck talks right over her._ _

__“Honestly, I don’t know why you hang out with him. His tech isn’t worth it. He’s an elitist, Penny. The one percent. He’s out of touch, privileged. He’s never had to struggle for anything. He’s not like us.”_ _

__“Us?”_ _

__“You and me, baby girl. Queens born and bred.” He points at the hologram with her picture. “I grew up two blocks from where you live.”_ _

__Oh great, as if Penny didn’t already feel sick. Now her stomach churns. She’d been orbiting around this creep for years? She wonders how many times they’ve passed each on the street? How many times they shared a train? What haunts they have in common._ _

__“Ever been to Delmars?” He grins, as if reading her mind. “Best sandwiches in Queens. Bet Stark’s never eaten anywhere like that. God forbid he walks among us common folk.”_ _

__If Mr. Stark were here, he’d laugh at this guy. He’d tell Penny that he has nothing to prove to this creep. He doesn’t need defending._ _

__But Mr. Stark isn’t here. And Penny knows the real Mr. Stark. Sure, he’s never had to worry about money the same way she has but he’s struggled in other ways. He never looked down on her because of where she came from._ _

__“Mr. Stark has been there. He went with me.”_ _

__“Because he’s using you.” Beck dismisses, not even having the decency to look up at her. “That’s what he does. He’ll toss you out like last week’s garbage as soon as you stop becoming useful to him.”_ _

__Penny shifts, getting into a fighting stance. She’s had enough with this creep. Beck notices and finally looks up at her. His narrowed eyes wash over her and he sighs. Thick green fog curls around their ankles._ _

__“It doesn’t have to be like this, Penny. We’d make a good team, remember?”_ _

__“All right. Just stop being a bad guy and we’ll make it happen. I’m sure Mr. Stark could make you an awesome new superhero suit.”_ _

__“Wrong answer.” Beck says. He activates his helmet and the lights go out._ _

__Penny curses. She doesn’t have her mask and vision is good, but not see in the dark good. She leaps up onto the ceiling, straining her eyes to try to find Mysterio. A movement in her peripheral below catches her attention and she crawls towards it, silently dropping to the ground._ _

__Only to get decked._ _

__Her spidey sense goes off a second too late and she hits the floor. She still can’t see anything. She tries to get to the wall, but she’s punched down again before she can stick. Her neck snaps to the side with the force of it. Blood fills her mouth, and she spits it out as an emergency light flickers to life._ _

__It illuminates Happy Hogan charging towards her._ _

__Here’s the thing with Mysterio's illusions. They look real, like scary real sometimes. But between logical thinking and her spidey sense, usually Penny can figure out what’s real and what’s fake._ _

__Human brain Penny knows this is an illusion because Happy would never attack her._ _

__Lizard brain Penny is freaking out because, holy crap he looks super real and he used to be a professional boxer and she really doesn’t want to get hit again._ _

__Lizard brain Penny also wonders that if she asks, would Happy teach her how to box?_ _

__She sidesteps him and jumps to the wall, only to fall straight through it. She hits the floor hard and hisses as pain shoots up her shoulder. She cradles it as she stands._ _

__The green fog is getting thicker and her stomach rolls with it. She leaps up onto the ceiling again but it bursts into millions of tiny spiders. She falls off with a surprised shout and hits the floor again._ _

__The impact knocks the all the air from her lungs and they fill up with gas instead. She coughs, choking on it. Her head swims. It’s the gas, she realizes belatedly. It’s making her feel sick._ _

__Beck’s laugh echoes around the room. “Like my new and improved gas?” Penny flips herself over and tries to crawl across the lab. “This is a stronger batch than the last one. I couldn’t figure out why it didn’t affect you like everyone else. You always seemed to power through it. Had to do a little digging through Stark’s research on you. Your metabolism is off the charts!”_ _

__Penny has to stop as dread rushes over her. How long has he known? What all does he know?_ _

__“See, baby girl?” He crows in the darkness. “We’d make such a good team. You keep me on my toes!”_ _

__At that, a wave of little disembodied toes come scurrying across the floor towards her like cockroaches. Penny yelps, moving backwards up and onto a worktable. Beck laughs again and the digits disappear._ _

__“Really dude?” She pants, her head spinning. She edges along the table looking for him, but between the dark and the fog, she can’t find him._ _

__Her spidey sense alternates from screaming to silence. “That was disgusting. Like I was seriously considering booking you for my friend’s birthday party but you can forget that, buddy. I’m one dissatisfied customer. Just wait till you see my Yelp review. Worst magician ever.”_ _

__“You ain’t seen nothing yet.”_ _

__Just as Penny thinks that can’t mean anything good for her, more lights turn on and the sound of the lab door key pad being punched and unlocking carries through the room._ _

__Mr. Stark pushes the door open._ _

__The relief Penny feels at seeing him quickly falters because he’s not in the suit. He’s wearing a button down and loafers, like he didn’t get her message. He spots her standing on top of the table and frowns._ _

__“Penny? What are you doing up there?”_ _

__She doesn’t have a chance to warn him before the sound of a gunshot sharply rings out. All the air from Penny’s lungs evaporate as Mr. Stark slumps to the ground. She knows he’s dead even before she reaches his side._ _

__There’s blood everywhere. It’s running down the side of his head. It’s staining the front of his white shirt. It’s sprayed on the glass door behind him. It’s slick on the floor. It’s on Penny’s hands as she touches him. It even gets on her forehead as she presses it against his body._ _

__She can’t hold back the sob that escapes her. Her spidey sense pricks just a second before Beck’s hand grips her shoulder with faux gentleness. His touch disgusts her. It feels like fire. It ignites an anger that burns through her._ _

__“It’s for the best, Penny.” He says solemnly, as if he’s comforting her. “He was holding you back. Now there’s nothing stopping us. We will do great things together.”_ _

__He’s not expecting her to lash out as quickly as she does and Penny uses it to her advantage. She knocks him over and webs him to the floor._ _

__The devastation, the grief, the white-hot rage that courses through her gives her a second wind. She powers through the lingering sickness from the fog and throws hit after hit. His stupid helmets busts underneath her knuckles, showering them both with glass._ _

__Bits of it cut through her suit and gets into her hands. One of Beck’s eyes is swollen shut. His teeth are bloody when he smiles up at her. He’s exposed to his own gas now. He coughs just like she had. Flecks of blood fly everywhere._ _

__Penny’s gone too far. She realizes this. She knows. But then she remembers how Mr. Stark is lying dead just two feet from them and how he looks just like how Uncle Ben did. That makes two of her father figures put down like dogs in front of her._ _

__She cocks back her fist again when she’s suddenly bodily lifted up and away from Beck. She thrashes against the arms that hold her back. She kicks and screams until she’s plopped down in a chair and blinks into the face of Happy Hogan._ _

__She jerks back in surprise. The rolling chair moves underneath her, taking her backwards. Her head aches._ _

__“Easy, kid.” Happy tells her. There’s someone bent over Beck but their back is to them and Penny can’t see their face._ _

__“M-mr. S-stark.” She stutters. She needs to let Happy know what happened, but can’t get the words out._ _

__Happy glances over, to where Mr. Stark lies and instantly pales. He curses. “Hurry, boss.” He shifts so he’s blocking her view of Mr. Stark. “It’s all right, kid. Just breath.”_ _

__A thought suddenly occurs to Penny. Happy may not really be here. Sure, he looks real but so did the other one. “H-how do I know you’re r-eal?”_ _

__“I am.” He insists but Penny shakes her head. It makes the room spin around her._ _

__“Prove it.”_ _

__He huffs, like he’s put out. “Last week you texted me a cat me-me followed with twenty-eight cat emoji things. I blocked your number for an hour.”_ _

__It’s him._ _

__Relief floods her so quickly that she gets light-headed. She falls forward but Happy catches her. She catches her breath then tries to get out from around him to see Mr. Stark again._ _

__“B-Beck,” She tries to explain. “I-I couldn’t stop him.”_ _

__Happy’s grip tightens as he wrestles her back into the chair. He rolls her back further into the lab, away from Mr. Stark’s body._ _

__“It’s not real, Penny. Tony’s fine. Just wait a-” He grunts when she accidentally elbows him in the gut, still trying to escape. “Tony!” He hollers over his shoulder. “Come see the kid!”_ _

__The person by Beck straightens up and turns around. Penny watches, dazed, as Mr. Stark walks past his own dead body and crouches in front of her. He gently grabs her flailing hands._ _

__“Hey, hey.” He soothes. “It’s all right, Pen. I’m right here, kid. I’m fine. It’s not real.”_ _

__“No, no, no.” Penny feels like she’s going to puke. She wants to believe him but she’s scared of being tricked again. She doesn’t know if she could survive it._ _

__Not letting go of her hands, Mr. Stark whirls around towards the webbed-up Beck. “Turn it off!” He thunders. “Now! Or I’ll make sure you get a one-way ticket to the Raft!” He threatens when Beck doesn’t move._ _

__Beck’s gaze flickers over to Penny for a long second before he snaps his fingers. Mr. Stark’s bleeding body dissipates and the rolling green fog stills. The real Mr. Stark moves, blocking Beck from her view._ _

__“You want more proof?” He asks and continues before she can make her mouth move. “Two weeks ago, we watched Star Wars together. You are forty-five Reeses Cups. I counted because I’d never seen a human being eat that much in my life and I once watched Steve Rogers eat five hamburgers in one sitting. Then after, I stopped you from swinging back to Queens to get more at the bodega that gives you them for free because you stopped a robbery there.”_ _

__Penny blinks. If she could think straight, she’d probably be really embarrassed by his and Happy’s ‘proof’._ _

__“Do you want more?” Mr. Stark offers. “Because, unfortunately, I have a million more stories just like that.”_ _

__Penny shakes her head slowly. She believes him. All the adrenaline drains from her and she feels like she’s having an out-of-body experience. Spots dance in front of her. She thinks she may be shaking._ _

__“For the record,” She says, her voice high and reedy. “I don’t regret any of it.”_ _

__Then everything goes black._ _

__  
*** _ _

__Penny wakes up in Mr. Stark’s lap._ _

__They’re on the floor. She’s propped up against his chest, head resting on his shoulder; her face tucked into his neck. His arm is securely wrapped around her shoulders, holding her up._ _

__She can only see his profile from this angle. He has an earpiece on and his mouth is moving like he’s talking to someone but she can’t make out what he’s saying over the ringing in her ears. She stares up at him for a long time but he only notices she’s awake when her eyes sag again._ _

__“There she is.” He greets softly. It sounds nothing like when Beck said it. It makes her feel safe. “How you feeling, kid?”_ _

__Penny takes stock of herself. She hurts all over. Her head feels like it’s full of cotton. Nausea rolls over her and she swallows thickly._ _

__“Sick.” She answers honestly._ _

__Mr. Stark grimaces. “Yeah, I bet. That gas messed with you up good. It should be out of your system soon though.”_ _

__That’s good news but at the moment her stomach sill churns._ _

__“Mr. Stark, I think I need to lie down.”_ _

__His eyes widen slightly, but he quickly adjusts her so she’s laying down her head pillowed on his thigh. He threads a hand through her hair._ _

__“Better?”_ _

__She nods. Her stomach is already starting to settle. From the angle, she realizes that they’re in the hallway right outside of the lab. There’s a crew inside, with gas masks on, taking orders from Happy._ _

__“What happened?”_ _

__“We got Beck secured and sent off. They’re finishing up cleaning his mess now. FRIDAY had to be rebooted and I’ll have to clean her up. Beck really did a number on her.”_ _

__“Okay. So why are we on the floor?”_ _

__“Honestly?” Mr. Stark’s eyebrow quirks a little. “Because that guy gives me the heebie jeebies and with FRIDAY out of commission, I’d rather not move you until our people confirm that he’s locked up. It shouldn’t be too much longer. They were on route to Rikers last I checked.”_ _

__That was good, but Penny didn’t let herself get too optimistic. Her bad guys had a habit of jail breaking._ _

__“Why do I get all the weirdos?” She complains with a sigh and Mr. Stark laughs a little._ _

__“Yeah, you’re feeling better.” He picks as Happy walks out of the lab and comes over to them._ _

__Oh, that reminds her._ _

__“Happy?” Penny asks from her makeshift bed. “Can you teach me how to box?”_ _

__Happy gives a strange look but shrugs. “I guess, kid. But only if you promise to stop sending me me-mes.”_ _

__“No promises.” She says as Mr. Stark huffs above her._ _

__“For the last, Happy. It’s memes, not ‘me-mes’”_ _

__Penny smiles to herself. She closes her eyes and lets Mr. Stark and Happy’s bickering lull her into a dreamless sleep._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Come visit me on [ tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/awwcoffee92) <3


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